Middle Earth: A New Adventure
by AJBanana
Summary: A new battle has arisen. All species are fighting for land. It is now a time for hate. No peace resides in Middle Earth. Now the orcs have a desire to take over. Follow Torli, a young dwarf, and his group of interpid adventurers. Will they stop the orcs and their deadly Ideals? Based on the world created by J.R.R. Tolkien.
1. Chapter 1

In a small household to the east of the Lonely Mountain lived a young dwarf and his mother.

Torli sat at the table eating his share of this morning's hunt watching his mother as she waltzed frantically around the kitchen.

"Ma, just sit down" he said "you need to relax"

"Relax?! Relax?! How can I relax?" She retorted. "They're going to battle, on that hill. Right next to our house, Torli. They're going to destroy the place. And the dwarf leaders are going to find out about you."

"Then why don't you let me fight?"

"Because they'll kill you. They'll use you on the front line to protect they're own skin. You're worth more than that, Torli. You should have been a dwarf heir. But look what this war has done to us!"

Torli nodded. He hated being hidden all the time, but he knew that it made some sort of sense. Plus, his mother was not a lady you would want to argue with.

Just then packs of soldiers, elves by the sound of things, marched past the house. Torlis mother practically picked him up and put him in a small cupboard. Like he was a toddler. She was such a strong woman. He was used to it, and he knew the score. Keep quiet, and don't let them know you exist.

He closed his eyes for a while. He actually almost fell asleep. Then, without warning, he heard an almighty banging and clattering. He burst out of the cupboard to see the kitchen. Where he was sat before looked like it had been blown to smithereens. His mother sat on a chair staring at the wreckage.

"They plowed through." She said in shock. "They just marched through as if it didn't exist."

"Who did?" Torli walked to his mother

"I don't know. It happened too quickly "

Torli took his mother by the hand and helped her up.

"We have to get out of here. We need to go to the towns. It's safer there."

"You can't. Everyone thinks your dead. You'll be arrested as a coward on the spot"

"Disguise me, you have to"

Torli's mother took a scarf and draped over her sons head.

"My daughter Tali" she proclaimed with a smile and a pat on his cheeks.

The pair walked to the town. Weary, they travelled into the night. They found an inn eventually, the light from the candles bathed the windows in a warm inviting glow. The pair decided to go inside.

Before they did, however, they bumped into some dwarf soldiers.

"Ahh Delores, nice to meet you again," said one soldier shaking the Mothers hand. He turned to Torli, obviously deeply suspicious, "and you are?"

"This is my daughter, Tali" interjected Delores before Torli had time to explain himself.

"Is that so. Are you sure you're not Torli?," He saw right through the disguise. He tore off the scarf revealing Torli, undeniably a son, not daughter. "On your knees, boy"

Torli obliged. Other soldiers lay him on his stomach and cuffed him in irons.

"A coward." The soldier sneered, standing on Torli's head. "You're going to be locked away for a very very long time".

His mother wailed. "Stop! Stop!" She cried. "It's my fault... I hid him away from you. He wanted to fight. But please. Don't take him away. He's all I have, how will I be able to hunt for food or protect myself. I need him"

This was a lie, the woman could stand up for herself. Probably better than any of the soldiers. But it worked. The lead soldier took his foot off Torli's head and signalled the others to unchain him.

"Consider yourself under house arrest" he said down to Torli, who was still lying on the floor. "You must stay with your mother "

Then they walked away. Torli picked himself off the ground.

"You didn't have to" he said

"I did. You're my son" his mother replied as she took him into the inn.

It wasn't long before they were in their small inn room, with two single beds and a wardrobe. Torli lay in his bed, fully clothed. He was angry and was tossing and turning.

"What's the matter?" His mother asked

"I can't sleep" he retorted "I'm going down to the pub".

He sat up, stormed out and walked down to the pub. He ordered a beer and sat there nursing it for a while.

"Torli. Nephew. It can't be" said a voice next to him. Torli turned to see an older, cheery dwarf standing next to him. He had a round face and a long beard, knotted in many intricate braids. His nose was long, and it arched over is mouth. But Torli recognised those kind eyes. He stood without hesitation

"Uncle. Uncle Glein. My King" he bowed his head.

"No no no, Nephew. Not King."

"But your father died."

"He wasn't King when he died. Overturned by the nobles. Because he didn't want to go to war"

"He was still King to me. As you are King now."

"As you are my heir" Glein out his hand on Torli's shoulder.

"What are you doing here anyway?" Torli enquired "does my mother know you are here?"

"I'm afraid we meet entirely by coincidence." Glein grimaced "but I am on a quest... With these fine gentlemen."

Glein gestured towards 3 figures, a hobbit, an elf, and a man who were all smiling at the two dwarves. They all stood to shake Torli's hand.

"Thundad" said the elf, tall with blonde silken hair. "of the Mirkwood Relm"

"Percival Frudge" said the little hobbit. He was quite old, but had a cheery little face and curly hair.

"My name is Freddard" the man said lastly. He was a big man, with black hair and a black beard. Dirty , maybe. With a big open chest, exposing a black mane.

"And what are you doing here?" Torli asked.

"The Orcs, my boy. " Glein opened his speech "They're planning something most foul. They're using these wars to pit every species against each other. So, in turn, they can jump in and take over. They want to enslave the Earth for their own benefit. And, they will succeed, if they're not stopped soon."

"How do you know?" Torli asked, trying to keep his jaw from hitting the ground in shock.

"I heard them" Freddard piped up, puffing out his chest as he did so "On my walks to get away from war, I decided to visit Dol Guldor, to discover it for myself. But I found the Orcs had regrouped there. I heard their every word"

"You speak Orc?"

"Amongst many other languages, yes." Freddard seemed very proud

"And why haven't you told anybody?"

Thundad sighed very gently and said "they will not listen to us. It is up to us to stop them. For the good of the Earth."

Glein looked at Torli

"My boy, you are strong and have the heart of a Prince, ney, of a King. Will you do me the honour of joining our little adventure"

He went down on one knee and bowed his head. Torli looked around the room. Nobody, except the troup, were paying any interest. He got off his stool and slowly picked up Glein.

"Uncle, it would be an honour to fight for you"


	2. Chapter 2

"You know you're on house arrest, don't you?"

"Yes, Ma.. But I can't let that stop me!"

"I know you can't" the mother tugged on her son's cheeks "I'm so proud of you"

Her brother, Glein stood away from the two for a second.

"Sister, I can't believe I'm seeing you, I just wish it wasn't in these conditions" he said finally, grimacing "I wish you were meeting me as a King, you a princess and young Torli as the heir prince."

"Brother, I do not care for such trivial things anymore" the Dwarf woman retorted, twirling her beard in her finger "just, please, take care of my son."

"You have my word" Glein crossed his sword over his chest. "Give your mother a hug goodbye, nephew. We must go"

"Yes, uncle, " Torli turned to his mother and embraced her tightly "I promise I will return to you".

He grabbed his bow, arrows and sword, turned and followed Glein out of the door. His mother wept for a while. But regained control.

The men mounted their horses. Glein lifted Torli onto the back of his horse, and promised to source the boy a steed of his own. Thundad soon proclaimed that they were to go North. And then west through the Misty Mountains. Everyone agreed. The elf knew where he was going.

Torli had been thinking about the group's plans for a while. He was quiet. But he just didn't get it.

"Uncle," he whispered, "how are we, a pack of five people, going to stop a group of Orcs."

"We just need one, my boy. Take one to the elven Noblemen. Promise him the Earth if he gives us information. Then he'll tell us the plans. Then the nobles will listen to us. Hopefully they'll band together again. Fight the orcs. Save everybody."

"What if this doesn't work?"

"It has too" Freddard growled, his short fuse was getting worn thin by the kids questions. Torli stopped asking and looked down at the horses back between him and his uncle.

"Would you chaps like to find somewhere to bed down for the night" Percival piped up to clear the air.

"Yes, my little friend, yes" Glein agreed with the familiar air of cheer in his voice.

"There is a barn not far away. Owned by no man or beast. We can stay there" Freddard said, sounding almost fed up and he took his steed to the front of the pack.

Soon enough, the troupe found themselves looking at a square stone structure. Wide open at the front, but three red painted walls surrounding it. Although it looked damp and musty, Fresh straw lay the grounds.

"Someone's bedded here recently" Thundad said, dismounting his horse and picking up some of the straw to inspect it "this is still fresh"

"Calm down, elf. It was me. I slept here on my way to meet the dwarf. That's how I knew of its existence. It's safe" Freddard began to get hostile towards the elf, he dismounted his horse and puffed himself up.

"How can I trust you" Thundad began fumbling with his arrow as a threat.

"You what?" Freddard now started to walk more quickly towards the elf, puffed up and ready for a fight.

"Gentlemen Gentlemen" Percival said, carrying blankets inside the barn "now is not the time for petty arguments. We need to work together."

The arguing pair agreed and took their blankets from their horses and lay them down inside. Glein gave Torli a blanket and lay his blanket down too.

Torli lay his head down on the pillow, and within an instant he was asleep.

"What do you think of the kid" Thundad said, looking intently at the sleeping dwarf boy.

"I thought he was dead" Glein said "I'm a bit shocked. But he seems strong, and he has his mother's nature"

"He asks too many questions" Freddard piped up. "It's almost as if he wants information from us. I'm suspicious "

"Oh come come now." Percival lit his pipe as he spoke "he's just a kid. And a would-be heir to the throne. Master Glein is his Uncle. He'd have no reason to deceive us"

Freddard was unconvinced

"I'll keep a close eye on him" he said in a low deep growl. "I don't trust him."


	3. Chapter 3

Torli woke up in the morning yawning and looked around at the rest of the waking group.

"Good morning" he said to nobody in particular. Next thing he knew was a plate of food being stuck into his lap.

"Eat". It was Glein "we've got an adventure ahead of us. Can't have a young prince fainting on us!"

Torli smiled and took the plate with gratitude and began to eat. Delicious bacon and eggs. Glein handed out other plates to the other members of the group.

"Everybody eat!" He proclaimed "we'll set off once we're all ready no point in doing so before then!"

Freddard kept staring at the young dwarf as he chomped down his food. It was making Torli feel a bit uncomfortable. He kept looking away from him, but he could feel the man's eyes burning onto his back.

Percival sensed the tension and broke it with he cheery words "absolutely lovely food, master Glein, makes me feel right at home". With that, he kept eating "you wouldn't happen to have seconds, would you?"

"You're very welcome, laddy, but no, what I have had to last for however long." Glein replied slightly grimacing. The hungry Percival nodded, but kept eating.

Thundad ate very little, but he ate in silence. He was thinking but tactic in his head. He couldn't see this working at all. Everyone in the group knew it was best to leave him well alone when he was in this zone. Percival ate the elf's left overs with glee.

"No point in waisting it" he happily announced. Then everything fell quiet for a while. Up until Glein gave an alrighty clap. Torli sat up with a jolt.

"Are we all finished yet?" he asked the group, somehow able to have his small and fat Fran tower over them all. Everybody nodded as they stood up and dusted themselves down. They rolled up their blankets and packed up, ready for the long day ahead.

They stepped out of the barn and were greeted by the brightest of suns in the sky. Thundad even put his arm over his head to shade his eyes.

"Luckily" he said through pursed lips "we are going away from the sun for the time being."

He clambered onto his horse as did the others. They attached their luggage to the saddles. Torli climbed clumsily onto the back of Glein's steed amongst the luggage and they set off, slowly but surely.

"Uncle" Torli said quietly some time after.

"Yes, my lad" Glein replied

"Why does Master Freddard keep glaring at me. I've done nothing wrong"

"He's just weary of you, laddy" Glein admitted "he doesn't know who you are, he'll come round eventually"

Torli just nodded and stayed quiet. He'd always been trusted before. Now he was quiet scared of the man.

The group travelled quite some distance without hearing or seeing very many living things at all. The odd rabbit and the odd bee. Torli enjoyed it. It was a beautiful day. He took off his jacket and enjoyed the sunshine on his skin. Then they entered a woods. The shade was just as beautiful.

Percival loved this part of the journey, somehow the woods reminded him of The Shire's surroundings. His favourite thing was being reminded of home. He made quite a few satisfied noises.

Freddard was not a happy man. He never was. So, he didn't find this journey pleasing. He kept rolling his eyes at Percival's noises. Percival knew this, so made his noises louder just to spite him.

Thundad once again went into a thoughtful zone, so he didn't really take in his surroundings very well. He was just worried about this whole ordeal. As far as he was concerned, it wasn't going to work.

Soon after, they heard a rustle in the trees. The horses came together, and then halted themselves.

"This is bad..." Thundad proclaimed quietly "dwarf soldiers". He slowly reached for his bow, just in case they started any trouble.

Torli gulped hard.

"Uncle" he said, urgently "they can't catch me, I'm meant to be under house arrest!"

"As am I" Glein replied

"We're all wanted by them" Percival added with baited breath. "They don't like us meddling in their affairs"

"This is just great" Freddard sighed. He was fed up.

Then, through the trees came around 10 dwarven soldiers, armed to the teeth and led by the one who tried to arrest Torli the night before.

"Halt! Who goes there?!" He yelled moving to the group with the rest of his small army "Well well well, if it isn't the band of minstrels. And who do we have here? Well I never! Master Torli or should I say Miss Tali"

He pulled Torli off the horse and cuffed him on the spot. He signalled other soldiers to do the same to the others, which they did.

The troupe were in big trouble now, and, boy, did they know it.


	4. Chapter 4

The troupe were chain together in single file and led up a long pathway through the woods. Their horses in toe. They were shoved forward by a soldier if they slacked a tiny bit. The shoving got more frequent the further, and tireder, the group got. Torli was scared. He knew he was in the deepest and darkest of troubles. He look behind at his uncle who gave him a cheery and comforting smile.

"Eyes front!" A soldier pushed Torli back to face the front. They kept walking.

After a long and tiring walk they ended up at the entrance of a small cave. They were pushed inside. Inside, itself was a long room with a red carpet draped down the middle, reaching a throne at the end. A figure was sat on this throne. It was so far away, Torli couldn't quite figure out who it was.

The rest of the floor looked like white marble and the sides were lined with arched Columns. Very Rich and noble... Maybe the figure on the throne could be. Oh no, it couldn't be.

They were shoved forward and told to walk on the carpet towards the throne. As Torli got closer he squinted his eyes to see the figure on the throne.

It was. It was Glombur the Great noble dwarf. The son of Glambor who took over Dwarven royalty many years ago. The dwarf who took the throne from Glein's Father. This meant they were either in a heap of trouble, or a heap of luck.

They were lined up shoulder to shoulder, the chains wrapping themselves around. In turn, they were pushed to their knees. It hurt as Torlis knees thwacked on the white marble and he flinched. That hurt.

Glombur stood out of his throne and walked up and down the line eyeing up every prisoner. He eventually got to Torli and held his chin.

"Guards" he sneered "you didn't tell me you had a dwarven maiden in the sea of prisoners!"

He laughed hard. Torli just winced as it struck a chord and deeply hurt him. Freddard became angrier at this. He had started to feel protective over the kid, even if he did get on his nerves.

"Your highness". Glein peered around to stop the moment. "We are just a troup of people on a journey. We mean you no harm."

"Are you not on house arrest? You and the girl?" Glombur glanced towards Torli.

"He's not a girl." Glein corrected "but, alas, we were supposed to be. But you know us dwarves. We have a thirst for adventure. We don't mean to be any trouble. We're just strolling through nature. Would you starve a fellow dwarf of that?"

Glombur stopped and thought then raised his hand. This dwarven wretch is right. Guards, send this group on their way... but they must stay as a group. And never. Ever cross my path again."

A guard picked up Percival as he was first in the line and escorted the boys out, unchained them and pushed them back into nature.

"What the hell happened then?!" Thundad piped up looking around in surprise.

"The stubbornness of Dwarves!" Freddard growled "what a waste of time."

He grabbed his horse that was tied outside with the others.

"Come on, let's go"


End file.
